Blog : Little Lilypad Co

The Little Lilypad is a lifestyle blog mostly written by a mum to two beautiful, cheeky and entertaining daughters. It is sometimes written by the Man on the Pad, when he is not relaxing in one of our best recliners, or by one of our baby bloggers and occasionally we accept guest posts. There is frequently talk of shoes and clothing (we love fashion and savvy shopping), chocolate (who doesn't love chocolate) education and swimming (we love this too). It is hopefully helpful, sometimes funny and always honest.

Category: Views & Ramblings

Although Christmas is now a distant memory, there are other occasions that pop up throughout the year where we find ourselves buying gifts for our nearest and dearest. One such occasion is birthdays that come up all year around, but when it is your boyfriend/husband or father, you have to step up and go that one step further. It is my husbands birthday next month so am already on the present trail quest!

If it feels as though the man you are buying for has everything that you can think of, then you really do need to knuckle down and put some real thought into what you can gift. From stunning jewellery to fun gadgets, here are some suggestions for birthday gifts for the man who has everything.

Drones – Keep Away from Children

If the man in your life has a love for all things electrical, then the chances are that they will absolutely love a drone that they can fly around. These are not children’s toys and can hurt if they fly into you, potentially causing serious injuries.

Make sure that any drone is used safely and responsibly, ensuring that children are kept at a safe distance. Even small drones that can fit in the palm of your hand can leave a nasty cut. When flown by a responsible adult, drones can provide lots of fun for recreational pilots.

Fashion Accessories

Does the man that you are buying for keep up with the latest fashion trends? Would he classify himself as a modern gentleman, taking pride in his appearance? If so, then you won’t go far wrong by gifting accessories such as jewellery that can be brought out for special occasions.

Perhaps your boyfriend/husband has a wide range of shirts and ties that he likes to wear for nights out? If so, how about complimenting his look with a set of gold cufflinks or a simple yet effective tie pin that he can wear to finish off his outfit?

Getaway for Two

When was the last time that you got away, just the two of you? If you struggle to answer that question, or even if you don’t, surprising your man with a getaway for two is a fantastic gift. Just make sure that you have childcare sorted before you book – you wouldn’t want to spend money on a trip for two only to find out that you have to cancel as your babysitter has cancelled.

The beauty of going away as a couple is that you don’t necessarily have to go very far at all. In fact, an overnight stay in a neighbouring city can be all that you need for a romantic break. After all, when the two of you are together, does it really matter where you are?

Experience Day

If none of the above catches your fancy, how about organising an experience day for your other half? Imagine the look on your partner’s face when they open up a gift of a driving day at a race circuit such as Silverstone or Donnington, or a tour around their favourite sports stadium?

Materialistic gifts can often be left on the shelf gathering dust for years, while an experience day creates memories that will last a lifetime. If you have a common interest, why not organise an experience day that you can do together?

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to buying a gift for the father of your children. If you are crazy enough about each other to start a family together, then he will probably love anything that you give him as he will appreciate the thought put into the gift.

My tag line is "creating content online since 2009" and for years I used to call myself a pretend blogger. I kind of fell into it for SEO purposes on my ecommerce site but as the years went by, the blog I wrote began to take a life of its own. I don't claim to be a coding expert and whether you are a new, aspiring blogger or one who has already begun to grow, there is always room for more improvement and development.

Blogging is great because it’s so versatile – some people view it as a hobby whereas others take it much more seriously and earn a living from their online presence. But whatever blogging means to you, there’s no reason not to try and be as successful as possible thanks to your efforts.

So, how can you become more successful in your own blogging? Here are some top tips, tricks and ideas to help you out.

Practice

While it may sound straightforward, the more that you practice, the more you are likely to improve. However, this doesn’t just mean churning out endless posts about topics no-one is really interested in. Instead, you should do plenty of research, check out other blogs and get creative with your idea generation. Once you begin to let small parts of everyday life influence you, you are bound to be well on the way towards curating a better, more interesting blog.

Specifics

If you are just starting out in the world of blogging, one of the most common pitfalls is to begin writing about anything and everything. However, what you should do is try to pick a specific niche and stick to it. It’s impossible to be an expert on everything, and many general blogs fail to take full note of the specifics of a particular topic. This can lead to dull, flimsy content that may end up losing your readers – the exact opposite of what you want to achieve!

Marketing

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you don’t need to do marketing just because you don’t own a business. In fact, for many bloggers, their blog is effectively their business anyway, so if you don’t actively promote your work and try to expand your reach, you will only be making yourself suffer in the long run. Even if you aren’t looking to expand fully into SEO, there are still plenty of techniques used by digital marketing professionals that you can expand into your blogging. Go to this website for more information because sending out one tweet per post is never going to promote your blog effectively.

Network

Similarly, another important part of blogging is the sense of community that can develop. Spending time actively getting to know other bloggers and investing in their blog and their content is a really valuable way to build strong connections and develop relationships within your industry. Of course, it may be more valuable to get to know bloggers within the same niche as you, but even chatting to a blogger who posts different content may be a great way to get handy tips and ideas for your own blog. Some of my best online blogging friends have become "real life" friends so it is not only good for your professional persona but your personal one too!.

Persistence

On the surface, this may not initially seem like a particularly important part of life. However, this isn’t to say that it is unimportant – quite the opposite, in fact! Sometimes, blogging can seem like a difficult, thankless task. Day after day you are beavering away at your blog, writing posts, sharing content and interacting with others. When you are caught up in the blogging whirlwind, it can be all too easy to feel trapped or stuck in a rut, as though you aren’t making any progress. This is the point when many bloggers can end up giving up, but you should try your best to stay persistent and maintain your approach. There’s no point trying to sugarcoat it – blogging is time-consuming, lonely and often thankless, but when you finally reach that milestone, there’s no better feeling than watching all that hard work eventually pay off.

Of course, every blogger chooses to approach blogging differently. However you choose to make the most of your blogging, the fact remains the same – if you want to become more successful, you will have to put the extra effort in. But regardless, the rewards are sure to be more than worth the while.

What better way to celebrate Valentines than with your BFF and a L.O.L Surprise! (Or Galentines on the 13th February, which is the new way to celebrate those girl friends you love). Even more exciting is to share the love with the NEW L.O.L Surprise Series 3 and the introduction of the Confetti Pop!

This Spring, L.O.L. Surprise! Confetti Pop launches in the UK on the 14th February with nine brand new surprises including new dolls, new accessories and a new surprise water feature. The L.O.L Surprise! Confetti Pop looks similar to the first two series in shape and style and although you have your zips to "unlock" the treasures inside you suddenly get to the balls which has a "spin me" instruction to reveal sets of doors. (excitement levels definitely increased at this bit)

Not only does the L.O.L Surprise! Confetti Pop have outfits, accessories, shoes and dolls - hidden amongst the layers is a ribbon, inviting you to pull and reveal a confetti pop! surprise which can be enjoyed over and over again. (we struggled with the over and over again bit but to be honest, once the doll is out that is all they care about!) The "pop" feature is exciting but definitely needs a little adult or older children's help to actually make it pop but the little LOL Surprise! jumping out is great fun.

So once you have "popped" the LOL Surprise! Doll out of her ball (be prepared for the confetti) you can create your cute little character. At £10.99 the Confetti Pop is slightly more expensive than the previous series but I think that they have definitely injected a new excitement for little ones to enjoy.

To compliment the Confetti Pop, they are also launching the series 3 L.O.L Surprise! Lil Sisters. They have five surprises and the clue hints at which doll is hidden inside. Reveal stickers, accessories and a doll. The surprises don’t stop there – bathe your doll to reveal her colour change water surprise. Her ball can become either a keyring or bath set. Mix and match the adorable accessories with both the L.O.L Surprise! Confetti Pop and L.O.L Surprise! Pets. There are 35+ L.O.L Surprise! Lil Sisters dolls to collect in series 3.

We have previously had LOL Suprise! Dolls as gifts and used for rewards and every time there is something new to find and discover. They are great collectables and my daughter and her friends will play with them for hours, so at the same price you can pay for a couple of magazines, there are so many more hours of fun to be had!

The new Series 3 get a huge thumbs up from us and are no doubt going to be popping up on most little ones wishlists this year!

L.O.L. Surprise!TM Series 3 is for children aged 6+ and is available from all good toy retailers including Smyths and The Entertainer. For more information, visit https://lolsurprise.mgae.com/

It is well known that I love shopping but I love giving gifts even more than receiving them. It is good to be able to do something nice for friends and family. The only problem is that sometimes working out what to buy can be a bit of a pain. Occasionally, we all struggle for inspiration, so I have detailed below some ideas that we turn to when we are stuck for present ideas.

A canvas print or painting

Not so long ago we bought a new canvas print from an online print firm and we were very impressed by the quality. It looked fantastic, plus the ordering process was super easy. All we had to do was to select an appropriate high-resolution photo, upload it, choose a size and frame, pay, and wait for it to be delivered. That particular print was for our own home, but you can just as easily send them as presents. Most online printers will happily add a message, gift wrap it and send it straight to the recipient´s address.

The nice thing about this type of gift is that it is unique and very personal. Plus, you can potentially use any non-copyrighted image. So, if you want you can scan something that you or another member of the family has drawn and have that turned into a unique piece of art.

Experience days

Treating someone to an exciting experience is another excellent idea. These days, there are thousands of different options to choose from. Everything from a rock climbing lesson or hot air balloon ride to theatre tickets or cooking lessons can be found online. For the more expensive experience days, for example, learning to drive a sports car family members could potentially club together to buy it.

When buying these kinds of gifts, it is wise to read the terms and conditions carefully. With some, you have to choose a date. This is fine if the person you are giving it to is free on that day. Not so great if they are not. So, it is wise to make sure that the retailer you are buying from is flexible about when the experience voucher is redeemed.

Hobby-related gifts

If the family member you are buying for has a hobby, a gift that is related to it can be ideal. There is plenty of scope. You can buy them everything from equipment and materials to classes and tickets to exhibitions. With this type of gift, it makes sense to hang onto the receipt. That way if they already own the piece of equipment you have bought them, they can simply exchange it.

Food and drink related gifts

Most people enjoy eating and drinking. (who doesn't) So, if your Aunt Ginny loves a particular brand of expensive chocolates she will like receiving a box of them as a special gift.

Handmade gifts

There is something very special about a gift that has been made especially for you. So, if you are good with your hands, it is well-worth making something unique and personal. There are lots of options, but if you are stuck for inspiration just click through to read this handmade gift ideas article.